Systems and methods to assess performance of communication networks

Abstract

A communications network may include a bandwidth system and a statistics system in order to assess data packet loss in a communications network. The bandwidth system may operate to mark data packets as either high or low priority and to receive feedback information on data packet loss and jitter. The statistic system may operate to collect metrics relating to the performance of radio frequency equipment as well as the weather or environmental conditions of a local area network. Embodiments of these systems may allow for identification of data packet loss due to specific sources such as radio frequency intervention, congestion, and burstiness. Visualization outputs may also be provided to benefit the operator of the system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A network communications system comprising:
 a bandwidth system including
 an inspector module for receiving data packets from a data source, 
 a bandwidth estimation module for dequeuing the data packets and marking the data packets as either high priority or low priority, 
 a local modem for processing the data packets by dequeuing the data packets with the high priority data packets being dequeued at a higher ratio than the low priority data packets, 
 a remote modem for receiving processed data pockets, 
 a remote bandwidth estimation module for periodically transmitting feedback information from the remote modem to the local modem, wherein the feedback information includes the timing and number of data packets received, and 
 a local bandwidth estimation module for receiving the feedback information transmitted to the local modem and determining packet loss due to congestion or burstiness; and 
   a radio frequency statistics system including
 a radio frequency metrics module for collecting radio frequency metrics, 
 a weather module for collecting weather metrics, and 
 a visualization module for selectively displaying radio frequency metrics and weather metrics on an output device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The network communications system of  claim 1  further comprising an operations module in communication with the bandwidth system, the radio frequency system, and the data source, the operations module operable to
 analyze the radio frequency metrics, the weather metrics, and the feedback information, 
 determine data packet loss due to radio frequency interference, and 
 adjust radio frequency equipment at the data source. 
 
     
     
         3 . The network communication system of  claim 2 , wherein the radio frequency equipment includes a plurality of satellites,
 wherein the processed data packets are transmitted to the remote modem by one of the plurality of satellites, and   wherein the radio frequency metrics include antenna blockage information for each of the plurality of satellites.   
     
     
         4 . The network communications system of  claim 3 , wherein the operations module is operable to adjust the position of each of the plurality of satellites, and
 wherein the local bandwidth estimation module is operable to determine which of the plurality of satellites is active.   
     
     
         5 . The network communications system of  claim 2 , wherein the radio frequency equipment includes a satellite,
 wherein the processed data packets are transmitted to the remote modem by the satellite, and   wherein the radio frequency metrics include antenna blockage information for the satellite.   
     
     
         6 . The network communications system of  claim 1 , wherein the data source is a local area network on a mobile vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The network communications system of  claim 6 , wherein the remote modem and the remote bandwidth estimation module are provided at a stationary location. 
     
     
         8 . The network communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the timing of the feedback information includes a measure of latency build up information in a queue for the low priority data packets, and wherein the local bandwidth estimation module operates to reduce a packet transmission rate in response to an increase in the measure of latency. 
     
     
         9 . The network communication system of  claim 8 , wherein the timing of the feedback information includes a measure of latency build up information in a queue for the high priority data packets. 
     
     
         10 . The network communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the higher ratio is 9:1. 
     
     
         11 . The network communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the weather module collects the weather metrics from a third-party source. 
     
     
         12 . The network communication system of  claim 1 , wherein the processed data packets are transmitted to the remote modem by one of a plurality of satellites, and wherein the radio frequency metrics includes antenna blockage information for each of the plurality of satellites. 
     
     
         13 . A method for estimating bandwidth and controlling packet rate using at least two queues, the method comprising:
 receiving data packets from a source;   categorizing the data packets into traffic class queues;   at a local bandwidth estimation module, dequeuing the data packets and marking the data packets as high priority packets or low priority packets;   at a local modem, processing the data packets by dequeuing the high priority data packets and the low priority data packets, the high priority data packets being dequeued at a higher ratio than the low priority data packets, wherein the modem transmits the processed packets to a remote location through a communications channel;   at a remote modem, receiving the processed data packets and forwarding the processed data packets to a remote bandwidth estimation module;   at the remote bandwidth estimation module, receiving the processed data packets and periodically transmitting feedback information back to a local bandwidth estimation module via high priority and low priority queues through the remote modem, communications channel and local modem, wherein the feedback information includes timing and a number of data packets received; and   at the local bandwidth estimation module, receiving the feedback information, determining data packet loss and jitter based on the feedback information, and increasing, decreasing or making no changes to packet rate for packets to be sent to the remote modem based on the packet loss and jitter.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the communications channel is a satellite communications channel, and the data source is a local area network on a mobile vessel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 at the local bandwidth estimation module, reducing the packet rate when there is packet rate when there is packet loss in either the low priority queue or the high priority queue and there is no latency build up in either queue. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining packet loss comprises determining packet loss for the high priority queue and the low priority queue, and wherein the local bandwidth estimation module decreases the packet rate for packets to be sent to the remote modem when the packet loss for the high priority queue is less than the packet loss for the low priority queue.